Albums Freddie Gibbs - You Only Die 1nce (Discussion Thread)
- Thread starter IronFist
- Start date
I gotta take my neg if he dont drop it lol. My mans even played me a snippet of one of the tracks but he aint give me a set date when its dropping
KingsOfKings
♟️ GRANDMASTERS ♟️
KingsOfKings
♟️ GRANDMASTERS ♟️
Whats this?
I bought the album off his site it’s on the CD. He’s selling a digital version too might be on there too.
KingsOfKings
♟️ GRANDMASTERS ♟️
Need this
You Only Die 1nce is Freddie Gibbs' sixth solo studio album, and his second project without any features. Gibbs has been refining his craft over the years, and with each release, he demonstrates his strength as a rapper. On the track "30 Girlfriends," Freddie showcases his remarkable breath control – while breaths are audible throughout much of the song, he delivers the second verse in one breath, showcasing his skill. "Steel Doors" is another track of pure rapping where he transitions seamlessly between verses and choruses. Named and themed as a sequel to his 2017 album You Only Live 2wice, this new work connects through several themes. Where the 2017 album focused on escaping death, dodging jail time, and forging a new path, You Only Die 1nce delves into the past, dealing with death, mourning, and contemplating legacy. In this album, Freddie is metaphorically confronted by the devil (played by Slink Johnson, who previously portrayed Jesus in You Only Live 2wice and $oul $old $eperately). The devil tempts him back to a life of crime, drugs, and promiscuity. Thus, throughout the album, Freddie Gibbs grapples with his history while striving to secure his legacy. When contemplating your legacy, it's natural to reflect on your beginnings and the journey to the present. There's often a part of you that questions, "Why turn away from what brought me here? But if I continue, will it destroy everything?" In just 37 minutes spread across 13 tracks, we join Freddie in this internal conflict.
Death and Mourning
Any event can trigger thoughts of death and legacy, but it's evident throughout You Only Die 1nce that Gibbs is in mourning, prompted by the deaths of friends and fellow rappers. Lil Sodi, a West Coast rapper closely associated with Gibbs, both signed to Jeezy's CTE label, was a prominent feature on Gibbs' debut album ESGN from 2013. Lil Sodi passed away in a car accident in August 2023 and is commemorated in multiple songs on this album. On the final track "On the Set," Freddie also pays tribute to two other deceased rappers, saying, “Rest in peace to Rich Homie Quan, you were too young to check out.” He mentions Young Dolph in the same song, encapsulating his thoughts with:
Yeah, I wish they never shot up Pac and BiggieI was gon' retire from rap when I seen that shyt with NipseyCrazy when that shyt hit your peers, that shyt be hittin' different
You Only Die 1nce is an album where we witness Freddie confronting the mortality of other rappers, reflecting on the legacies they leave, and pondering his own.
Legacy
One of the major attractions of Freddie's music is his hard-hitting lyrics; he's descriptive, specific, and chillingly authentic. He sets the tone right from the start with "Status":
lyrics: A little birdie flew up in my hand todayMotorola goin' HAM todayTwenty-eights to a fifty-six, two into splits, how many grams today?…This Frederico Soprano, mafioso be my status, gangster Gibbs
For those looking for tales of robbery and drug dealing, Gibbs delivers in abundance. Whether he lived these experiences or not, his legacy has been built on narratives of crime and murder, which is evident throughout his discography and this album. His lyrics often come from a first-person perspective, as seen in "Brick Fees":
lyrics: I'm from where you was killin' for Jordans if you ain't get a pairMy hits ain't no attempts, it ain't murder, then I ain't send 'em there
Gang life is part of Freddie's legacy, and he's grappling with this on the album. The risk of meeting the same fate as his peers increases if he maintains his current lifestyle, potentially defining his legacy. With the narrative of the Devil tempting him back to his old ways, Freddie portrays a struggle to evolve while being pulled back. Additionally, he addresses musicians who have not died but have lost everything, including their legacy. In "Wolverine," he reflects:
Lyrics : Too many sex crimes, sex scenes, Weinstein, EpsteinsThem crackers rich forever, you Black, they want the whole thingR. Kelly singing for commissaryAnd no, I don't condone the shyt he did, but he got heat in my library
Here, Gibbs touches on how certain crimes can ruin one's life and legacy, highlighting the racial disparities in how these consequences are applied. This resonates deeply with Freddie, given his own legal battles following an arrest in France and extradition to Austria due to a sexual assault accusation, from which he was eventually cleared. This experience, central to You Only Live 2wice, is briefly touched upon in "Rabbit Island":
Lyrics: I'm from around the way, ho can't take my crown away (Yeah)Starvin' in that cell, feel like I lost like three, four pounds a dayGrowin' up in the G, might have to duck at least four rounds a day
Conclusion
You Only Die 1nce is an album where Freddie Gibbs confronts existential threats, partially stemming from his lifestyle. The narrative suggests a need to leave behind his past if he wants to preserve his life and his legacy. Yet, the Devil's temptation to keep going leaves him at an impasse between survival and maintaining his self-image, his status.
Lyrics:When you die, they ain't got shyt for your moms, they'd rather ice they neck outRest in peace to Rich Homie Quan, you was too young to check outIndustry wasn't checkin for Gary, I feel like I was left outNow I spit these raps in my trailer, I gotta report to set now (Uh)
[Outro]Left a legacy up in this bytch 'fore I left out, yeah, yeah yeah
Death and Mourning
Any event can trigger thoughts of death and legacy, but it's evident throughout You Only Die 1nce that Gibbs is in mourning, prompted by the deaths of friends and fellow rappers. Lil Sodi, a West Coast rapper closely associated with Gibbs, both signed to Jeezy's CTE label, was a prominent feature on Gibbs' debut album ESGN from 2013. Lil Sodi passed away in a car accident in August 2023 and is commemorated in multiple songs on this album. On the final track "On the Set," Freddie also pays tribute to two other deceased rappers, saying, “Rest in peace to Rich Homie Quan, you were too young to check out.” He mentions Young Dolph in the same song, encapsulating his thoughts with:
Yeah, I wish they never shot up Pac and BiggieI was gon' retire from rap when I seen that shyt with NipseyCrazy when that shyt hit your peers, that shyt be hittin' different
You Only Die 1nce is an album where we witness Freddie confronting the mortality of other rappers, reflecting on the legacies they leave, and pondering his own.
Legacy
One of the major attractions of Freddie's music is his hard-hitting lyrics; he's descriptive, specific, and chillingly authentic. He sets the tone right from the start with "Status":
lyrics: A little birdie flew up in my hand todayMotorola goin' HAM todayTwenty-eights to a fifty-six, two into splits, how many grams today?…This Frederico Soprano, mafioso be my status, gangster Gibbs
For those looking for tales of robbery and drug dealing, Gibbs delivers in abundance. Whether he lived these experiences or not, his legacy has been built on narratives of crime and murder, which is evident throughout his discography and this album. His lyrics often come from a first-person perspective, as seen in "Brick Fees":
lyrics: I'm from where you was killin' for Jordans if you ain't get a pairMy hits ain't no attempts, it ain't murder, then I ain't send 'em there
Gang life is part of Freddie's legacy, and he's grappling with this on the album. The risk of meeting the same fate as his peers increases if he maintains his current lifestyle, potentially defining his legacy. With the narrative of the Devil tempting him back to his old ways, Freddie portrays a struggle to evolve while being pulled back. Additionally, he addresses musicians who have not died but have lost everything, including their legacy. In "Wolverine," he reflects:
Lyrics : Too many sex crimes, sex scenes, Weinstein, EpsteinsThem crackers rich forever, you Black, they want the whole thingR. Kelly singing for commissaryAnd no, I don't condone the shyt he did, but he got heat in my library
Here, Gibbs touches on how certain crimes can ruin one's life and legacy, highlighting the racial disparities in how these consequences are applied. This resonates deeply with Freddie, given his own legal battles following an arrest in France and extradition to Austria due to a sexual assault accusation, from which he was eventually cleared. This experience, central to You Only Live 2wice, is briefly touched upon in "Rabbit Island":
Lyrics: I'm from around the way, ho can't take my crown away (Yeah)Starvin' in that cell, feel like I lost like three, four pounds a dayGrowin' up in the G, might have to duck at least four rounds a day
Conclusion
You Only Die 1nce is an album where Freddie Gibbs confronts existential threats, partially stemming from his lifestyle. The narrative suggests a need to leave behind his past if he wants to preserve his life and his legacy. Yet, the Devil's temptation to keep going leaves him at an impasse between survival and maintaining his self-image, his status.
Lyrics:When you die, they ain't got shyt for your moms, they'd rather ice they neck outRest in peace to Rich Homie Quan, you was too young to check outIndustry wasn't checkin for Gary, I feel like I was left outNow I spit these raps in my trailer, I gotta report to set now (Uh)
[Outro]Left a legacy up in this bytch 'fore I left out, yeah, yeah yeah